Rotor manufacturing line, motor manufacturing line, and rotor manufacturing method

Abstract

This invention provides a rotor manufacturing line, a motor manufacturing line, and a rotor manufacturing method. The rotor manufacturing line of this invention comprises: a rotor laminate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a rotor laminate obtained by chiseling and fixing multiple stacked electromagnetic steel plates; a first conveying device for conveying the rotor laminate transported from the rotor laminate manufacturing apparatus; a re-tightening device for re-tightening the chiseled and fixed portions of the rotor laminate; a second conveying device for conveying the re-tightened rotor laminate; and a height measuring sensor for measuring the height of the rotor laminate during the re-tightening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to rotor manufacturing lines, motor manufacturing lines, and rotor manufacturing methods. Background Technology

[0002] In the past, when manufacturing rotors, electromagnetic steel sheets were first punched out from a flat plate in a stamping device. The rotor stack was made by chiseling and fixing multiple electromagnetic steel sheets together. Then, the number of electromagnetic steel sheets stacked was determined by measuring the height of the rotor stack.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-92650

[0004] However, if the stacked electromagnetic steel plates are not sufficiently tightened, there will be a problem such as deviation in the height dimension of the rotor stack. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a rotor manufacturing line comprising: a rotor laminate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a rotor laminate obtained by chiseling and fixing multiple stacked electromagnetic steel plates; a first conveying device for conveying the rotor laminate removed from the rotor laminate manufacturing apparatus; a re-tightening device for re-tightening the chiseled and fixed portions of the rotor laminate; a second conveying device for conveying the re-tightened rotor laminate; and a height measuring sensor for measuring the height of the rotor laminate at the time of re-tightening.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a motor manufacturing line comprising: the aforementioned rotor manufacturing line; and a stator manufacturing line having a stator block manufacturing apparatus and a stator block conveying apparatus. The stator block manufacturing apparatus manufactures stator blocks by pressing and clamping multiple stacked electromagnet steel plates, and the stator block conveying apparatus conveys the stator blocks from the stator block manufacturing apparatus. The stator block manufacturing apparatus and the rotor laminate manufacturing apparatus are the same apparatus.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a rotor manufacturing method using a rotor manufacturing line, wherein the rotor manufacturing method comprises the following steps: a first tightening step, wherein a rotor laminate is manufactured by tightening and fixing multiple stacked electromagnetic steel plates together; and a second tightening step, wherein the rotor laminate after the first tightening step is tightened again, wherein the pressure value of the second tightening step is greater than the pressure value of the first tightening step.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a rotor manufacturing line, a motor manufacturing line, and a rotor manufacturing method are provided, which can improve the yield by suppressing deviations in the height dimension of the rotor stack by improving poor jig tightness of the rotor stack. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a motor manufacturing line.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a typical motor 1.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a perspective view showing the structure of a rotor core according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a portion of the structure of a direction conversion device for a rotor manufacturing line according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the structure of the first transfer device of a rotor manufacturing line according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the structure of the first transfer device of a rotor manufacturing line according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the structure of a re-tightening device for a rotor manufacturing line according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the structure of a height measuring sensor for a rotor manufacturing line according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the structure of the second transfer device and its surroundings in one embodiment of a rotor manufacturing line.

[0018] Label Explanation

[0019] 1: Motor; 10: Rotor; 12a: Rotor laminations (electromagnetic steel plate); 12A: Rotor laminate; 20: Stator; 23A: Stator block; 322: Second conveyor; 100: Stator manufacturing line; 110: Stamping machine (rotor laminate manufacturing device in the rotor manufacturing line, stator block manufacturing device in the stator manufacturing line); 120: First conveyor (stator block conveyor); 320: First conveyor; 321: First conveyor; 300: Rotor manufacturing line; 321, 322, 3 61: Conveying conveyor; 362: Discharge conveyor; 330: Direction changing device; 331: Direction changing support platform; 375: Support platform; 332: Direction changing cylinder; 371A: Pushing cylinder; 333: Direction changing contact part; 353F: Height measuring contact part; 334: Position detection sensor; 350: Re-tightening device; 351: Height measuring sensor; 360: Second conveying device; 372: Lifting mechanism; 380: Setting mechanism; 400: Motor manufacturing line. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the accompanying drawings, the XYZ coordinate system is appropriately shown as a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system. The X direction is perpendicular to the Z direction. The Y direction is perpendicular to both the X and Z directions.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing one embodiment of a motor manufacturing line 400.

[0022] In the following explanation, it will be related to Figure 1 The direction parallel to the vertical direction is defined as the Z direction, the direction in which the rotor laminate 12A is moved out of the stamping machine 110 is defined as the X direction, and the direction intersecting the Z and X directions is defined as the Y direction.

[0023] <Motor Manufacturing Line>

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the motor manufacturing line 400 includes a rotor manufacturing line 300 and a stator manufacturing line 100, through which the rotor 10 is manufactured respectively. Figure 2 ) and stator 20 ( Figure 2 ), and combine them to manufacture motor 1 ( Figure 2 ) device.

[0025] The rotor manufacturing line 300 mainly includes a stamping machine (rotor laminate manufacturing device) 110, a first conveying device 320, a first transfer device 370, a re-clamping device 350, a second transfer device 390, and a second conveying device 360, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the devices are configured as a whole in an L-shape.

[0026] The stator manufacturing line 100 has at least a stamping machine (stator block manufacturing device) 110 that is also used in the rotor manufacturing line 300, and a first conveying device (stator block conveying device) 120 for conveying stator blocks 23A from the stamping machine 110.

[0027] The first conveyors 121 and 321 in the stator manufacturing line 100 and the rotor manufacturing line 300 extend parallel to each other along the +X direction, and other parts in each manufacturing line 100 and 300 also extend parallel to each other along the +Y direction. Thus, in the motor manufacturing line 400, the stator manufacturing line 100 and the rotor manufacturing line 300 are like... Figure 1 As shown, it is configured as an L-shape.

[0028] <Motor>

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a typical motor 1. Figure 3This is a perspective view showing the structure of a rotor core 12 according to one embodiment.

[0030] First, for those with the following characteristics Figure 1 The rotor 10 manufactured by the rotor manufacturing line 300 shown is Figure 2 Motor 1 () Figure 2 The structure of ) will be explained.

[0031] Motor 1 is installed in vehicles that use motors as a power source, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHVs), and electric vehicles (EVs), serving as their power source. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the motor 1 mainly consists of a rotor 10, a stator 20 surrounding the rotor 10, and a housing 30.

[0032] (rotor)

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, rotor 10 rotates around a central axis J1 extending in one direction. Rotor 10 has a shaft 21 extending along the central axis J1, a rotor core 12, and a rotor magnet.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the rotor core 12 has a plurality of rotor laminations (electromagnetic steel plates) 12a stacked along the axial direction. The rotor laminations 12a are manufactured by punching thin steel plates with magnetic properties into a predetermined shape. The number of rotor laminations 12a constituting the rotor core 12 is selected according to the type of motor 1. In this embodiment, 142 rotor laminations 12a are stacked.

[0035] The rotor laminations 12a constituting the rotor core 12 are fastened together by their respective fastening and fixing parts, and the multiple stacked rotor laminations 12a are not easy to fall off each other.

[0036] (Stator 20)

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the stator 20 is disposed radially outside the rotor 10, and is radially opposed to the rotor 10. The stator 20 has a stator core 23, a plurality of insulating elements, and windings 24 mounted on the insulating elements. The stator 20 surrounds the rotor 10 in an annular shape and is fixed to the inner side of the housing 30. Specifically, the stator core 23 is fixed to the housing 30 by means of bolts 92 inserted into bolt through holes 23c formed in the bolt fastening portion 23b.

[0038] <Rotor Manufacturing Line>

[0039] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a portion of the structure of a direction conversion device 330 of a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment. Figure 5This is a diagram showing the structure of the first transfer device 370 of a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment. Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the structure of the first transfer device 370 of a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment. Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the structure of a re-tightening device 350 of a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment. Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the structure of a height measuring sensor 351 of a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment. Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the structure of the second transfer device 390 and its surroundings in a rotor manufacturing line 300 according to one embodiment.

[0040] Next, the structure and operation of the rotor manufacturing line 300 will be explained.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the rotor manufacturing line 300 is mainly composed of a stamping machine 110, a first conveying device 320, a first transfer device 370, a re-clamping device 350, a second transfer device 390, and a second conveying device 360.

[0042] (Stamping machine)

[0043] The stamping machine 110 is an apparatus that, after using a stamping die to cut out rotor laminations 12a of a specified shape from a magnetic sheet steel, stacks and tightens a specified number of rotor laminations 12a in the stamping die, thereby producing a rotor laminate 12A.

[0044] The stamping machine 110 of this embodiment can be used in both the rotor manufacturing line 300 and the stator manufacturing line 100. The stamping machine 110 can manufacture rotors 10 one by one. Figure 2 The rotor laminate 12A can be fabricated in two pieces to form the stator 20. Figure 2 Stator block 23A.

[0045] (1st conveying device)

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, the first conveying device 320 is positioned between the stamping machine 110 and the re-clamping device 350, conveying the rotor laminate 12A removed from the stamping machine 110 toward the re-clamping device 350. The first conveying device 320 has a first conveying conveyor 321 and a second conveying conveyor 322, which convey the rotor laminate 12A in different directions.

[0047] The first conveyor 321 extends along the direction from the stamping machine 110 and is configured to convey the rotor laminate 12A in a first direction (X direction). The second conveyor 322 extends along a direction intersecting the first conveyor 321 (Y direction) and is configured to convey the rotor laminate 12A in a second direction (Y direction). In this embodiment, the first conveyor 321 and the second conveyor 322 are at an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

[0048] The first conveying device 320 also has a direction conversion device 330.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, the direction conversion device 330 is disposed between the first conveyor 321 and the second conveyor 322, and has the function of converting the conveying direction of the rotor laminate 12A from the first conveyor 321 to the second conveyor 322.

[0050] (Direction conversion device)

[0051] The direction switching device 330 includes: a direction switching support platform 331 that supports the rotor laminate 12A transported from the first conveyor 321; a direction switching cylinder 332 that slides toward the second conveyor 322 in a second direction (Y direction); a direction switching contact part 333 located at the front end of the direction switching cylinder 332 and capable of contacting the rotor laminate 12A; and a position detection sensor 334 that detects the position of the rotor laminate 12A.

[0052] The height of the support surface of the direction-changing support platform 331 is the same as the height of the conveying surfaces of the first conveyor 321 and the second conveyor 322. Preferably, the support surface of the direction-changing support platform 331 is located at least below the conveying surface of the first conveyor 321 and above the conveying surface of the second conveyor 322. No step of such size as this will be created between the direction-changing support platform 331 and each of the conveyors 321, 322, preventing the rotor stack 12A from crossing a step of such size in its conveying direction.

[0053] A direction-changing cylinder 332 is disposed above the direction-changing support 331 and the second conveyor 322. A direction-changing contact portion 333 protruding toward the direction-changing support 331 is connected to the front end of the direction-changing cylinder 332. The direction-changing contact portion 333 is installed at a position that faces the outer peripheral surface of the rotor laminate 12A that is being moved into the direction-changing support 331.

[0054] The direction-changing contact portion 333 has a recess 333A on the side opposite to the rotor laminate 12A. The central portion of the recess 333A in the width direction is recessed to the side opposite to the rotor laminate 12A to conform to the shape of the rotor laminate 12A. The recess 333A has the deepest cut at the central position in the X direction of the direction-changing contact portion 333. The recess 333A has a pair of inner surfaces 333a, which are inclined in opposite directions to each other in a manner that extends toward the rotor laminate 12A. This pair of inner surfaces 333a is planar.

[0055] Therefore, the pair of inner surfaces 333a constituting the recess 333A are structured to be able to contact two different circumferentially oriented portions on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor laminate 12A. In this embodiment, the contact portion is positioned at... Figure 4 The position shown, i.e., the position where the direction-changing contact 333 stops protruding to the outside of the direction-changing support 331, is set as the "standby position".

[0056] A position detection sensor 334 is disposed on the side of the direction-changing cylinder 332, above the direction-changing support 331. The position detection sensor 334 is used to confirm whether the rotor laminate 12A has been transferred from the first conveyor 321 to the direction-changing support 331. The direction-changing cylinder 332 is driven according to the detection result of the position detection sensor 334, thereby moving the direction-changing contact 333 from the "standby position" along the second direction (Y direction).

[0057] (First transfer device)

[0058] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the first transfer device 370 is located on the opposite side of the second conveyor 322, which is the opposite side of the direction conversion device 330.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, the first transfer device 370 is mainly configured to include: a support mechanism 378 that supports the rotor stack 12A transported by the second conveyor 322; an ejection mechanism 371 that ejects the rotor stack 12A from the second conveyor 322 onto the support mechanism 378; a lifting mechanism 372 that lifts the rotor stack 12A on the support mechanism 378 to the height of the re-tightening device 350; and a setting mechanism 380 that sets the rotor stack 12A, after being lifted by the lifting mechanism 372, onto the re-tightening device 350.

[0060] The ejection mechanism 371 is disposed on the conveying surface 322a side of the second conveyor 322. The ejection mechanism 371 includes: an ejection part 371B, which is capable of contacting the rotor laminate 12A present on the conveying surface 322a; and an ejection cylinder 371A, which reciprocates the ejection part 371B along the direction (Y direction) in which the conveyor 322 extends. The ejection mechanism 371 has the function of: moving the ejection part 371B by driving the ejection cylinder 371A, thereby ejecting the rotor laminate 12A toward the support mechanism 378.

[0061] The ejection portion 371B has a recess 379 that is recessed towards the -Y direction, with the cut being deepest at the central portion in the X direction. The recess 379 has a pair of contact surfaces 371b, which are inclined in opposite directions to each other as they extend from the central position portion toward the rotor laminate 12A. This pair of contact surfaces 371b is planar.

[0062] Because the rotor laminate 12A is pushed out in a state where each contact surface 371b is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotor laminate 12A, the displacement of the center position of the rotor laminate 12A during the push-out process can be suppressed.

[0063] The support mechanism 378 includes: a support platform 375 that supports the rotor laminate 12A; and a pair of first positioning parts 376 and second positioning parts 377 disposed on the upper surface of the support platform 375 for positioning the rotor laminate 12A on the support platform 375. The upper surface of the support platform 375 is located at approximately the same height as the conveying surface of the second conveyor 32.

[0064] A pair of first positioning portions 376 are located on the second conveyor 322 side of the support platform 375 and are arranged at predetermined intervals on both sides of the support platform 375 in the width direction (X direction). In this embodiment, by arranging the pair of first positioning portions 376 to each other at intervals approximately equal to the diameter of the rotor laminate 12A, the radial (X direction) positional shift of the rotor laminate 12A, which is fed onto the support platform 375, is suppressed.

[0065] The second positioning part 377 is located between the pair of first positioning parts 376 in the width direction, and is positioned closer to the re-tightening device 350 than the pair of first positioning parts 376. The second positioning part 377 determines the depth position of the rotor laminate 12A on the support platform 375.

[0066] The support mechanism 378 has a first confirmation sensor 373 and a second confirmation sensor 374 to confirm the position of the rotor laminate 12A on the support platform 375. Both the first confirmation sensor 373 and the second confirmation sensor 374 are transmission sensors. The first confirmation sensor 373 is installed on a pair of first positioning parts 376, and the second confirmation sensor 374 is installed on a second positioning part 377. If only the first positioning part 376 detects the rotor laminate 12A, it is determined that the rotor laminate 12A is in transit and located outside the predetermined "rotor support position" on the support platform 375. If only the second positioning part 377 detects the rotor laminate 12A, it is determined that the rotor laminate 12A has been moved into the "rotor support position." In this way, the position of the rotor laminate 12A can be confirmed.

[0067] The lifting mechanism 372 is a mechanism for lifting the rotor stack 12A that has been moved into the support mechanism 378. It includes: a lifting platform 372A, which is disposed in a through hole 375a formed in the central part of the support platform 375; a shaft portion 372B, which supports the lifting platform 372A; and a cylinder (not shown) that moves the lifting platform 372A up and down via the shaft portion 372B.

[0068] The lifting platform 372A has a width shorter than the radial width of the rotor laminate 12A, and supports a portion of the rotor laminate 12A present on the support platform 375. It is configured such that the rotor laminate 12A, which is transported to the support platform 375, is pushed upwards by driving a cylinder (not shown) connected to the lifting platform 372A.

[0069] A pair of holding parts 372A1 are installed on the lifting platform 372A. The pair of holding parts 372A1 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction (Y direction) according to the radial dimension of the rotor laminate 12A, and are configured to hold the rotor laminate 12A that is moved into the pair of holding parts 372A1.

[0070] When the lifting platform 372A is located within the through hole 375a of the support platform 375, the upper surfaces of each of the pair of retaining parts 372A1 are aligned with or located below the upper surface of the support platform 375. The position where at least one pair of retaining parts 372A1 does not protrude beyond the support platform 375 is designated as the "standby position" of the lifting platform 372A. Thus, the rotor laminate 12A is moved to a predetermined position by sliding on the support platform 375.

[0071] The setting mechanism 380 includes: an air chuck 381 that holds the rotor stack 12A after it has been lifted by the lifting mechanism 372 by means of, for example, a pair of fingers 381A; a first single-axis robot 382 that moves the air chuck 381 in the vertical direction (Z direction); and a second single-axis robot 383 that moves the air chuck 381 in the transport direction (Y direction) of the rotor stack 12A.

[0072] In this embodiment, the air chuck section 381 moves a pair of fingers 381A in a manner such that a cylinder (not shown) is driven. Figure 5 As shown, the rotor stack 12A, supported in a state protruding outward from the lifting platform 372A, moves up and down from its lower surface side on both radial sides. A pair of holding parts 372A1, located at the front and rear in the conveying direction, are installed on the lifting platform 372A to hold the rotor stack 12A from both radial sides as it is being transported in.

[0073] (Re-tighten the device)

[0074] The re-tightening device 350 is located next to the first transfer device 370 and is used to re-tighten the rotor laminate 12A transferred by the first transfer device 370. The re-tightening device 350 is a servo stamping unit with a built-in pressure sensor, which can control the pressure applied to the rotor core 12.

[0075] The re-tightening device 350 includes: a frame 357, wherein an upper mold 354 and a lower mold 355, which are separated in the vertical direction, are connected by a plurality of shaft portions 356; a pressure portion 353 disposed on the side of the upper mold 354; a support plate 352 disposed on the side of the lower mold 355; and a height measuring sensor 351.

[0076] The pressurizing unit 353 includes: a servo-pressing unit 353A; a sliding unit 353B that slides downward under the load generated by the servo-pressing unit 353A; a pressing unit 353C that is mounted on the sliding unit 353B and presses the rotor laminate 12A placed on the mounting stage 352A; and a plurality of guide pins 353D that guide the vertical (Z-direction) movement of the sliding unit 353B. The pressurizing unit 353, through the action of the servo-pressing unit 353A, can pressurize the rotor laminate 12A with a predetermined load. That is, the rotor core 12 can be manufactured by re-tightening the rotor laminate 12A.

[0077] like Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the re-tightening device 350 of this embodiment has a height measuring sensor 351 composed of a contact displacement sensor, which can measure the height of the rotor laminate 12A when pressurized. The height measuring sensor 351 is provided on the side of the support plate 352 and has the function of measuring the height of the rotor laminate 12A by contacting the height measuring contact portion 353F provided on the side of the sliding portion 353B.

[0078] The contact surface 353f of the height measuring contact 353F is positioned in the vertical direction (Z direction) to coincide with the pressing surface 353C1 of the pressing part 353C. Therefore, by contacting the height measuring sensor 351 and the contact surface 353f of the height measuring contact 353F, which descends together with the sliding part 353B, the position of the upper end surface 12b of the rotor laminate 12A contacted by the pressing part 353C is indirectly detected. Thus, the height of the rotor laminate 12A when it is pressurized by the pressing part 353 at a predetermined pressure, i.e., the height of the rotor core 12 when it is tightened again, can be measured.

[0079] (Second conveying device)

[0080] like Figure 9 As shown, the second conveying device 360 ​​includes: a conveying conveyor (conveying section) 361, which conveys the good rotor core 12 to the subsequent process device; and a discharge conveyor (discharge section) 362, which discharges the defective rotor core 12.

[0081] (Second transfer device)

[0082] The second transfer device 390 is a device that transfers the rotor core 12 produced in the re-tightening device 350 from the re-tightening device 350 to the second conveying device 360. The second transfer device 390 classifies the rotor core 12 into good and bad products based on the height measurement results measured in the re-tightening device 350.

[0083] The second transfer device 390 includes: an air chuck 393 that holds the rotor core 12 manufactured by re-tightening in the re-tightening device 350; a first single-axis robot 391 that moves the air chuck 393 in the vertical direction (Z direction); and a second single-axis robot 392 that moves the air chuck 393 in the transport direction (Y direction) of the rotor core 12. The air chuck 393, for example, has a pair of fingers 393A.

[0084] A pair of fingers 393A supported on one side Figure 7The rotor core 12 on the mounting platform 352A of the re-tightening device 350 shown is held on the lower surface side of the rotor core 12. Since the rotor core 12 on the mounting platform 352A is supported by a pair of mounting portions 352a in a state of floating from the support plate 352, the portion of the rotor core 12 not supported by the pair of mounting portions 352a can be held by the pair of fingers 393A that can be inserted into the gap between the rotor core 12 and the support plate 352.

[0085] The second transfer device 390 of this embodiment has the same structure as the first transfer device 370 described above, and has the following function: by performing the opposite action to the first transfer device 370, the rotor core 12 in the re-tightening device 350 is transferred to the second conveying device 360.

[0086] This constitutes the rotor manufacturing line 300 of this embodiment.

[0087] <Rotor Manufacturing Method (Motor Manufacturing Method)>

[0088] Next, the method for manufacturing the rotor core 12 using the rotor manufacturing line 300 of this embodiment described above will be explained. In the following description, appropriate reference will be made to… Figures 1-9 .

[0089] (1. First chiseling and tightening process)

[0090] First of all, Figure 1 In the stamping machine 110 of the rotor manufacturing line 300 of the motor manufacturing line 400 shown, multiple rotor laminations 12a of a specified shape are molded from a flat steel plate using a die. The multiple rotor laminations 12a stacked together are then hewn together to form a rotor laminate 12A. In this embodiment, 142 rotor laminations 12a are stacked and hewn together to form the rotor laminate.

[0091] Next, the rotor laminate 12A produced in the stamping machine 110 is transported out by the first conveyor 321 of the first conveying device 320. The first conveyor 321 transports the rotor laminate 12A toward the direction conversion device 330 in the X direction and feeds it onto the direction conversion support 331 of the direction conversion device 330 located at the end of the first conveyor 321.

[0092] In the position detection sensor 334 of the direction conversion device 330, when the rotor laminate 12A is detected being moved from the conveyor 321 onto the direction conversion support 331, the direction conversion cylinder 332 is activated. Using the direction conversion contact part 333, which moves in the Y direction due to the activation of the cylinder 332, the rotor laminate 12A on the direction conversion support 331 is pushed towards the second conveyor 322. The direction conversion device 330 performs the conveying of the rotor laminate 12A by changing its conveying direction by approximately 90 degrees.

[0093] Next, the rotor laminate 12A is transported to the first transfer device 370 located at the end of the second conveyor 322 using the second conveyor 322.

[0094] A portion of the rotor laminate 12A, which has been moved onto the support platform 375, is pushed deeper into the support platform 375 by the push-out part 371B (which moves in the +Y direction driven by the push-out cylinder 371A of the push-out mechanism 371), and is then placed onto the lifting platform 372A of the lifting mechanism 372, which is waiting in the through hole 375a of the support platform 375. A pair of holding parts 372A1 mounted on the lifting platform 372A are waiting in a position that does not obstruct the movement of the rotor laminate 12A moved onto the support platform 375. Therefore, the rotor laminate 12A is moved into the predetermined position by sliding on the support platform 375.

[0095] In this process, after the second confirmation sensor 374 detects that the rotor stack 12A, which has been moved onto the support platform 375, has stopped in contact with the pair of first positioning parts 376 and the second positioning part 377, and after the first confirmation sensor 373 confirms that the rotor stack 12A has not been detected, the cylinder is driven to raise the lifting platform 372A with the rotor stack 12A on the support platform 375 as the target. By raising the lifting platform 372A, the rotor stack 12A on the support platform 375 enters between the pair of holding parts 372A1. With the radial positional displacement of the rotor stack 12A suppressed by the pair of holding parts 372A1, the rotor stack 12A is raised to a predetermined position.

[0096] After the rotor stack 12A is lifted by the lifting mechanism 372, the rotor stack 12A on the lifting platform 372A is held by the air chuck 381 of the closing mechanism 380, and the rotor stack 12A is slightly lifted upward (in the +Z direction) by the action of the first single-axis robot 382. Then, the rotor stack 12A is transported towards the re-tightening device 350 in the +Y direction by the action of the second single-axis robot 383. Then, the air chuck 381 is opened in the re-tightening device 350, and the rotor stack 12A is placed on the placement platform 352A. In this way, the rotor stack 12A is transferred from the second conveyor 322 to the re-tightening device 350.

[0097] (2. Second tightening process (second tightening process))

[0098] Next, the rotor laminate 12A is pressurized at a predetermined pressure by the pressurizing section 353 of the re-tightening device 350. In this process, the rotor laminate 12A is re-tightened by the servo stamping section 353A, for example, by applying a pressure of 4t. Here, the pressure is set to 4t, but any pressure greater than that in the stamping machine 110 is acceptable, and it is not limited to the pressure value mentioned above.

[0099] In this process, when the rotor core 12 is tightened again, the height dimension of the rotor laminate 12A, i.e. the rotor core 12, under pressure is measured by the height measuring sensor 351.

[0100] As a result, if the height of the rotor core 12 is outside the predetermined size when it is tightened again, it is judged as a defective product and is transferred by the second transfer device 390 to the discharge conveyor 362, thus being discharged and not transported to the next process. On the other hand, if the height of the rotor core 12 is within the predetermined size when it is tightened again, it is judged as a good product and is transferred by the second transfer device 390 to the transport conveyor 361, thus being transported to the next process.

[0101] In the rotor manufacturing line 300 of this embodiment described above, a rotor lamination 12A is tightened twice. After tightening in the stamping machine 110, a tightening process is performed again in the re-tightening device 350. As a result, the multiple rotor laminations 12a constituting the rotor core 12 (rotor lamination 12A) do not float up to each other, and the rotor laminations 12a can be reliably joined together. By improving the tightening defects in the stamping machine 110, the height dimension of the rotor core 12 can be stabilized.

[0102] In this way, rotor cores 12 with the specified height dimensions can be manufactured efficiently, thereby reducing the number of defective rotor cores 12 and improving the yield rate. In addition, the second transfer device 390 can efficiently discharge rotor cores 12 that do not meet the height requirements, so only good rotor cores 12 can be transferred to subsequent processes.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, because a structure is adopted to measure the height while repressurizing, the height of the rotor core 12 can be accurately measured without increasing the number of processes. By automating the height measurement process, the problem of measurement deviation caused by operators can be eliminated, and work efficiency is improved at each stage.

[0104] Furthermore, the motor manufacturing line 400 of this embodiment includes the rotor manufacturing line 300 and the stator manufacturing line 100 described above, which are arranged in parallel. Each manufacturing line 100 and 300 is arranged side by side with a line structure that bends 90 degrees in the middle, which allows for a compact and space-saving overall configuration.

[0105] In the rotor manufacturing line 300, when the conveying direction of the rotor laminate 12A is changed by approximately 90 degrees from the first conveyor 321 to the second conveyor 322, the change is performed on the direction-changing support 331 of the direction-changing device 330 located between each conveyor 321 and 322. If the direction change of the rotor laminate 12A is performed directly on the first conveyor 321, it is possible that debris or other contaminants will be generated due to friction with the first conveyor 321. However, by temporarily placing the rotor laminate 12A on the direction-changing support 331 and then performing the direction change on the direction-changing support 331, unnecessary friction and debris will not be generated between it and the direction-changing support 331, and the conveying direction can be changed smoothly.

[0106] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the structures and combinations thereof in the embodiments are merely examples, and structural additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

[0107] In the above embodiment, a stamping machine 110 is used in both the rotor manufacturing line 300 and the stator manufacturing line 100, but it is also possible to have a stamping machine in each manufacturing line 100 and 300.

Claims

1. A rotor manufacturing line, comprising: a rotor lamination manufacturing device that manufactures a rotor lamination obtained by caulking and fixing a plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets that are stacked; a first conveyance device that conveys the rotor lamination that is carried out from the rotor lamination manufacturing device; a re-caulking device that has a pressurizing portion, and re-caulks the rotor lamination by pressurizing the rotor lamination with the pressurizing portion; a second conveyance device that conveys the rotor lamination after re-caulking; and a height measuring sensor that measures the height of the rotor lamination at the time of re-caulking, wherein the height measuring sensor indirectly measures the height of the rotor lamination at the time of re-caulking by contacting a height measuring contact portion provided to the re-caulking device, wherein the height measuring contact portion moves integrally with the pressurizing portion, and wherein the height of the height measuring contact portion in a pressurizing state in which the pressurizing portion is pressurizing is detected to indirectly measure the height of the rotor lamination at the time of re-caulking when re-caulking is performed.

2. The rotor manufacturing line according to claim 1, wherein the second conveyance device has: a conveyance portion that conveys the rotor lamination having a height within a predetermined size from the re-caulking device; and a discharge portion that discharges the rotor lamination having a height outside the predetermined size from the re-caulking device.

3. The rotor manufacturing line according to claim 2, wherein the first conveyance device is disposed between the rotor lamination manufacturing device and the re-caulking device, wherein the first conveyance device has: a first conveyance conveyor that conveys the rotor lamination in a first direction; a second conveyance conveyor that conveys the rotor lamination in a second direction that intersects the first direction; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of conveyance of the rotor lamination from the first conveyance conveyor to the second conveyance conveyor.

4. The rotor manufacturing line according to claim 3, wherein the direction changing device is disposed between the first conveyance conveyor and the second conveyance conveyor, wherein the direction changing device has: a direction changing support table that supports the rotor lamination that is conveyed in; a cylinder that slides along the second direction; a contact portion that is located at the front end of the cylinder and is capable of contacting the rotor lamination; and a position detection sensor that detects the position of the rotor lamination.

5. The rotor manufacturing line according to claim 1, wherein a lifting mechanism that lifts the rotor lamination conveyed by the first conveyance device to the height of the re-caulking device, and a setting mechanism that sets the rotor lamination lifted by the lifting mechanism to the re-caulking device are disposed between the first conveyance device and the re-caulking device.

6. A motor manufacturing line, comprising: the rotor manufacturing line according to any one of claims 1 to 5; and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ a stator block manufacturing device that manufactures a stator block by pressing and caulking a plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets that are stacked, and a stator block conveyance device that conveys the stator block from the stator block manufacturing device, the stator block manufacturing device and the rotor stack manufacturing device are the same device.

7. A rotor manufacturing method using the rotor manufacturing line according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotor manufacturing method has the following steps: a first caulking step of manufacturing a rotor stack by caulking and fixing a plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets that are stacked; and a second caulking step of re-caulking the rotor stack after the first caulking step, the pressing value of the second caulking step is greater than the pressing value of the first caulking step.

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